Five intriguing players who began their careers with the Sixers

Five intriguing players who began their careers with the Sixers

The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the NBA’s most historic teams with a history dating back over almost 70 years.

Once named the Syracuse Nationals, Philly was gifted the Sixers after the Philadelphia Warriors took their talents out West to San Francisco, later transitioning to the renowned Golden State Warriors.

Having won three NBA Titles in those 70 years, the Sixers haven’t been atop the NBA in the last 35 years, a streak that will hopefully be broken sooner than later.

With a prominent roster and two of the brightest players in the league, it’s time to start remembering the power of the Sixers.

That said, over the years, the Sixers haven’t always been a memorable team, winning just 10 games in the 2015-2016 season. But now, they’ve taken strides forward, becoming a 52-win team and are still improving.

Let’s take a look back in history at a few players you’d never expect who began their NBA careers in Philly.

No. 1: Nikola Vucevic

(Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

Nikola Vucevic’s career in Philadelphia was short-lived. He played only his rookie season with the Sixers before being traded to the Orlando Magic in a four-team deal which also sent another name on this list out of town.

Philly may have given up on Vuc a bit too early, though. The 7-foot center has averaged double figures in each of the past six seasons, topping out at 19.3 points per game in 2014-15.

Additionally, in four of his seven seasons, Vucevic has also averaged double-figure rebounds to go along with his strong scoring. A career 49.9 percent shooter, the only knock to Vuc’s offensive game is he’s yet to develop a consistent jump shot.

The Sixers would look drastically different if they didn’t make that league-altering trade. Would they still have gone for current star Joel Embiid?

Regardless of your stance of the trade, Vucevic wasn’t a long-term solution to Philly’s problems. Now, a commendable 52-win team, it seems the process is starting to come together for the Sixers.